A/N: Hi guys :) Thanks for all the sweet reviews! They make my heart happy! Here's chapter 16. Enjoy.

Chapter 16: An Explanation Would Be Nice

Once Michael, Mahone, and Gretchen believed that they were a safe distance away from the former Company Headquarters, they stopped running. Even though they had just witnessed the explosion and therefore end to all things Company related, they still felt an alarming sense of paranoia. It was so hard to believe that after all of the time spent running from the Company it was finally over.

Honestly, after the past nearly two years of being held captive by the same organization he thought he had put an end to, Michael didn't know if there would be a day where he would be able to walk down the street without looking over his shoulder to see if someone was following him. But right now that didn't matter to him. All that mattered to Michael Scofield in this moment was finding Sara. His heart ached when he thought of how she had been alone in the past 20 months. Will she resent me for leaving her? Has she already moved on? he thought to himself. Is she happy? His heart ached even more when he thought of his son. Will he even know who I am? Michael decided he would deal with all of that as it came. Right now, all that mattered was that soon enough he would have his wife and son in his arms soon enough.

Just as he was about to thank Mahone and, oddly enough, Gretchen for their help in outsmarting and destroying the Company once and for all, Mahone beat him to it.

"Not that I'm not grateful for your spontaneous and surprisingly well timed appearance, what exactly are you doing here Gretchen? Aren't you supposed to be in prison?" Mahone questioned skeptically. He was hesitant to let his guard down around Gretchen. Although she had proven to be somewhat compassionate and somewhat reliable when she didn't inform the guards of Sara's location in the chapel when they were breaking out of prison.

However this was also Gretchen Morgan; the same Gretchen Morgan that had kidnapped Sara and LJ; the same Gretchen Morgan that put Michael through months of hell by faking Sara's death; the same Gretchen Morgan that had aligned herself with T-Bag just to earn some cash; the same Gretchen Morgan that had crossed them time and time again. Was this one act, or now two including her recent heroism in the Company Headquarters, enough to clear the slate of all of the hell she had put them through? After all, who was to say she wasn't still working with the Company? Would it be so far-fetched to believe that Gretchen would cross them again?

"I know what you're thinking," Gretchen began, interrupting Mahone's thoughts. "You're wondering, 'If you got out of prison, why was this the first place you would go? Were you trying to come get your Company job back? Why would you choose to come here?' And I can answer all of those questions. But first, you're gonna have to trust me a little bit. Have you thought about the guards that the General hired to watch your loved ones?" Gretchen questioned.

"Yes I handled them. I had some of my people take care of it," Mahone responded confidently.

"You see that's what you thought. But that is also where you are wrong. You see, the guards are better trained and less easily deceived than you originally thought. Your men were supposed to buy off the guards or handle them another way, but the guards weren't that easily bought. Your men were killed trying to take out the guards. I'm sorry." Gretchen concluded without any emotion or even the slightest hint of sympathy or remorse.

"What? That's crazy. My men are well-trained FBI agents who are prepared for anything. You're lying." Alex defended.

"Oh silly little Alex. You're not even an FBI agent anymore. Your "men" are just the people who your little girlfriend convinced to help you out in a last ditch effort to get your job back with your beloved FBI. However let's just say that your "well-trained agents" were easily bought off. Sure, when the Company agents pulled a gun on them they showed a brave face, but as soon as they started offering them cash in exchange for their compliance with the situation. So, remember that part where you thought you had a surefire plan, and that there was nothing in the way of you and your family? Wrong. So now you're going to have to trust me a little bit, and before you say anything snarky or sarcastic Scofield, I know it's going to be hard. But let me just put this into perspective. If those Company men don't receive their hourly conformation from the General that he is in fact alive and well and that your loved ones are to remain unharmed, they will kill them. First they will call the General to confirm, and if they don't hear back from him within a day, they will move in on your families. Now, we really don't have time to waste. Lucky for you, I stole the General's phone after I incapacitated him because it is clear that I am the only one here that knows how to execute a plan. So what'll it be gentlemen? Are you with me? Or against me?"

Michael was shocked. Just when he thought that he and Sara were moments away from reuniting and finally being happy again, he learned that they were still in danger. He had no choice but to work with one of the women he despised most in the world. He felt trapped. He felt stuck. He didn't want to admit it, but he needed Gretchen. As much as he hated it, he and Mahone would have to cooperate with Gretchen until their families were safe.

"Fine," Michael conceded. At Mahone's looks of protest he elaborated. "We don't really have a choice."

"Cross one of us and it will be the last thing you ever do," Mahone threatened ominously.

"Nothing like a good threat to make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside," Gretchen cheered sarcastically. "

"So what is this plan that you have in mind?" Michael asked cutting to the chase. He didn't want to have to spend any more time than necessary away from his family.

"I thought you'd never ask. As you now know, I stole the General's phone off of him after I knocked him out. Now the guards on your families will be expecting a call from him in about 20 minutes to ensure that he is alive and well, and that your families should remain alive. Unfortunately, the General's current…state doesn't allow him to make said phone call, or any phone call ever again for that matter. That means we have 20 minutes until the guards get suspicious. In 20 minutes, I will send out a text to all of the guards claiming that I am the General, that I am in a meeting, and that I am fine and your families should remain untouched. That means we have an hour and 20 minutes of bought time where the guards remain unsuspicious. That also means we have an hour and 20 minutes to kill every guard watching your families. It won't be easy, but with my connections you are not to worry. Let's just say that with my help, those Company men will be a piece of cake to take down," Gretchen said confidently. "So," she continued, "do we have a deal?"

"Fine," Michael conceded after sharing a knowing look with Mahone. They both knew that there was no other choice. They could either make a deal with the devil or leave their loved ones behind to die, and let's be honest—the latter wasn't really an option.

"When can we start?" Mahone spoke for what seemed like the first time in hours. He looked so emotionally, mentally, and physically drained. After everything that he and Michael had been through in the past few months and after everything they had risked to make it out of that hell-hole, he thought that they would be free by now. But once again, life was a bitch that threw them curveballs just when they thought the worst was over.

"Well Mr. Mahone, we can start right now. Your special friend, Felicia Young, just so happens to be living about 30 minutes away. We take out her agents first, and then we move onto Scofield's family. Yours should be easy, but Scofield's may be a bit of a challenge," Gretchen finished skeptically.

"Why will his family be harder?" Mahone questioned.

"Well let's just say that Mr. Scofield proved to be of greater value to the General than you did, Mr. Mahone. There are many men on Sara and Lincoln and many security precautions being taken to ensure that everything is being done by the book, thus it is more difficult to eliminate all of the Company eyes on the Scofield family. For the average gal this might be a hard task, but for a woman as well connected as me, there needn't be any worry. Like I said before, I've got connections," Gretchen ended with a smirk.

"Well gentlemen, we'd better get going. There is no time to lose."

A/N: Well there you have it friends! Chapter 16 is complete. Not entirely sure when the next chapter will be up, because this week is kind of busy for me. I'll get a chapter out as soon as possible (maybe even sooner than later with the right number of reviews ;)). Thanks for reading guys! XOXO